Pop Culturalist Chats with Diana Bang

Meet Diana Bang. She’s one of the lead actresses in the charming rom-com/dramedy, Entanglement (out February 9th!). The film follows the life of Ben, a young man who, while recovering from a suicide attempt, finds love with his…wait for it…almost adopted sister, and things only get weirder from there. Diana’s character, Tabby, is one of Ben’s closest friends, and may be hiding the fact that she’s secretly in love with him. It’s a performance that will bring all the feels and, as you will see, is a huge departure from her role as Sook in The Interview, opposite Seth Rogen and James Franco. Pop Culturalist sat down with Diana to chat about this passion project, the importance of self-love, and breaking free of typecasting.

PC: Tell us about Entanglement and your character in the film.
Diana: Entanglement is a story about self-love and how we’re all inexplicably linked. The film follows Ben (Thomas Middleton) as he tries to figure out where his life went wrong and, in the process, he discovers that he could have had a possible adopted sister. When he finds her, he falls in love with her and other strange things start to happen. I play Tabby, who is Ben’s neighbor and friend. She is the one who supports him and tries to rein him in…and she might also be in love with him.

PC: What drew you to this project?
Diana: I was drawn to the project because I worked with Jason James [producer] very briefly in his last film and I was itching to work with him again. I also read the script by Jason Filiatrault and loved it and was genuinely surprised by the twist of the story. I have also always wanted to work on a rom-com/dramedy, so this is my fantasy fulfilled.

PC: How is Tabby similar/different than other characters you’ve played?
Diana: Tabby is different from other characters that I’ve played in the sense that she is a bit more grounded and, I’d argue, the heart of the film. Many of the comedic characters I play are somewhat grounded, but live in a world of farce. She also doesn’t have an Asian accent! Seriously and sadly, it’s rare for me to get a substantial role without having to have an accent or be fetishized. I guess Tabby is similar to other characters I’ve played in the sense that she is the voice of reason. I’ve done a couple of those roles as well.

PC: In the film, Tabby is Ben’s support system. Did you draw on a personal relationship from your own life when shaping this bond?
Diana: Yeah, I drew from some of my male friendships and relationships. There’s a bit of a brother/sister/lover relationship between Tabby and Ben that mirrors Ben’s relationship with Hannah.

PC: How does Ben’s action at the start of the film affect Tabby?
Diana: It affects Tabby immensely, to the point of obsession. She is constantly checking in on him, taking care of him, cleaning his house, and making sure he doesn’t try to harm himself again.

PC: How did you and Thomas build your chemistry?
Diana: There wasn’t much time to build chemistry. We just chatted on set and tried to build a friendship that way.

PC: The film touches upon a lot of important themes, which one resonated with you the most and why?
Diana: I’d say the one that resonates the most with me is finding self-love. It’s a journey I’ve been on and still find myself on from time to time.

PC: Besides Entanglement, do you have any other upcoming projects that you can chat about?
Diana: I did a film called The Master Cleanse, written and directed by Bobby Miller, which should be coming out in May. I also do live comedy with The Lady Show, which is a feminist comedy show. Our next show will be on International Women’s Day at JFL Northwest.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Diana: Ru Paul’s Drag Race

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Diana: You Got Mail

PC: Favorite book?
Diana: Matilda by Roald Dahl, for sentimental reasons.

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Diana: The Book of Mormon

PC: Favorite social media platform?
Diana: Twitter

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Diana: Is it a surprise? I love Lizzo and also Tjuv, which I learned about from my friend’s podcast, The Big Loop.

PC: Last person you texted?
Diana: Probably my mom.

PC: Hidden talent?
Diana: I’m (kind of) ambidextrous.

Make sure to follow Diana on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, and check out Entanglement now in theaters and On Demand / Digital on February 9.